"Ahem. But the deficit isn't that big."
Esben cleared his throat as if his ignorance had been discovered.
It was true that the deficit was not large.
"It's only been a year since the war ended, so you can see that it's recovering. The textile industry in particular is growing in size. We've also signed a new contract with the Marquis of Lochen...."
Esben continued his explanation of the ledger as if making an excuse.
Even as I listened to his explanation, I couldn't stop thinking about it.
Textile industry.
Right.
By the early days of their marriage, the Wilhelm estate was expanding its textile business based on its abundant timber resources.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that the castle's finances were supported solely by the money earned from the textile industry and iron ore.
The Wilhelm Territory was an extremely barren land ever since it was not part of the Caenen Empire.
A land where it is difficult to see even a single blade of grass, let alone a tree.
When you plant crops, you are often exposed to frost, and when you raise cows and pigs, there is not enough food to feed people.
Instead, they had swamps and lakes scattered throughout their territory, which provided abundant freshwater fish, so they used those to supply food and grow forests.
The Wilhelm Estate is a land of extremes, with some days in winter when there is no daylight at all.
People here had to be more concerned about freezing to death than starving to death, so they valued firewood as much as food.
It was also easier to plant pine or birch trees than to clear wasteland and plant crops.
And so this strange structure has continued to exist.
In most lands of the Empire, harvested tomatoes, potatoes, wheat, etc, are exchanged for cloth and iron, but in this land, it is the opposite.
Turns iron and stone into food.
And It's very expensive too.
Esben's explanation only served to reinforce my prior knowledge.
"But it seems like the price of textiles is gradually falling?"
Esben coughed again, seeming troubled by my question.
"I guess it's because there are fewer people in the North. There are limits to the use of things like ropes, clothes, and rags. And..."
"So most of the trade with the South has been cut off."
There are political issues involved.
One year since the war.
Walter's plan to weaken the power of the North was slowly coming to light.
The population of the North is dwindling, and the southern nobles are reluctant to trade with the North.
As a result, fewer people were buying northern textiles, so prices naturally fell, and the prices of oats and potatoes gradually rose.
Because the number of landowners decreased, land production plummeted, and because trade routes were shortened due to the war, merchants raised food prices.
"But things will get better soon. The Marquis of Lochen has also decided to buy textiles in large quantities, and we plan to buy food from Lochen at a fairly cheap price. In preparation for the winter."
Lochen. Lochen.
That damn Lochen.
Indeed, it was a time when trade with the Wilhelm Territory was being avoided within the Empire, so the Margrave of Lochen of the Kingdom of Mylene was likely to emerge as an alternative.
'That's the problem.'
The Margrave of Lochen, who had been in league with Walter, soon revealed his true colors. He sold the exports of the Wilhelm Territory, which had already become highly dependent on trade, at low prices, and the poor quality agricultural products produced in the Margrave's territory at high prices.
The Wilhelm Estate, unable to trade with other estates, had no choice but to accept such contract terms to avoid starvation.
'Freshwater fish, which were the staple food of the territory people, will be difficult to obtain this winter due to the terrible cold that is coming and the lakes will freeze over.'
Several bad news are piling up.
In other words, Esben's statement that it will 'get better' is reasonable, but in the end, it is a prediction that is all wrong.
"I guess you need to study a little more?"
Esben asked me in a polite tone.
He seemed to think that I was looking at the ledger without answering because I was having trouble with it.
But what was filling my mind right now was the thought of how to overcome this situation.
'If we leave it like this, it will just flow according to its predetermined fate.'
The gram I make will be a great sword.
Armin Wilhelm, even though he's a drunkard, is still the greatest sword master in the Empire.
That fact doesn't change.
But war isn't fought with just one sword and one swordsman.
War is fought with money.
We must feed, clothe, and warmly house our soldiers, and give them the strength to fight.
What was the reason for the collapse of the Wilhelm Castle in Diana Isla's life?
This was because the people of the territory, who had been robbed of firewood at a very low price through trade bordering on exploitation and were suffering from food shortages, had no strength left to defend the castle.
This time it has to be different.
This time it's not Diana Isla.
This time, it's me, Diana, who's here.
"How much is the budget prepared to purchase food from Lochen?"
"This is a million Duran."
It's not a very generous amount.
Even though they were cheap, it seemed like they couldn't find a reason to stock up on potatoes.
You must trust freshwater fish.
"What about the dowry I brought?"
Funnily enough, half of my dowry was given to me by Walter.
It is said that it was given to Marquis Isla as a wedding gift, and that is it.
Perhaps this was given to Marquis Isla, who was dissatisfied with the marriage, to keep him from making any nonsense.
"One hundred thousand durans."
It's salty too.
Marquis Isla's territory is much more fertile than Wilhelm's territory.
That man, Diana Isla's father, seemed to not like his son-in-law at all.
I furrowed my brow and asked again.
"How much is the maintenance fee that has been set for me?"
"About thirty thousand durans a year."
Esben trailed off.
Given the lack of social circles in the North, it was expected that the cost of maintaining dignity would not be large. However, this amount was less than half that of the noble families in the South.
Esben quickly added as if he thought I would find fault with the ridiculously small amount.
"If you would like an increase-"
"If I use that money to buy iron ore and hire a skilled blacksmith, how much area do you think I could build a drainage ditch for?"
"... Yes?"
Esben's voice, which had not lost its dignified appearance, cracked.
He cleared his throat again and asked me with a puzzled look on his face.
"What did you just say?"
"I said it was a drain."
There is too much water in this land.
Whether it's snow, lakes, ice, or swamps.
If I were the daughter of the greatest blacksmith in the empire, I would fill this land with flames. Certainly.
"From now on, Wilhelm's estate must also plant proper crops."
***
"She said that we can't continue to be tied down by our dealings with Marquis Rochen."
While Armin, who had just returned from his patrol of the territory, was taking off his snow-soaked coat and hanging it up, Esben reported to Armin in detail about his conversation with the Archduchess that morning.
Amin took off his wet gloves with a tired face, threw them on the fireplace, and sat down at his desk in his office.
Armin took out a water bottle from his bosom, moistened his throat with the alcohol inside, and asked Esben.
"So?"
Esben frowned at the question.
"Huh? That's why..."
"I'm asking you what you want to say,, Esben."
"I cannot easily comply with the order to invest in crops with the money that should be used to buy food to store for the winter. Please persuade Her Highness to give up."
Esben spoke with a pretended serious face, but Armin burst into laughter at those words.
"Money for food? Esben, be honest."
Armin lightly shook off his frozen and thawed hair, which had begun to become wet, and moistened his mouth by taking another sip of the alcohol from his water bottle.
"Even without that money, the castle's finances were never in great trouble. Not once in six years. Not only the people of the fiefdom, but I have never starved to the point where we had to rely on things like potatoes rolling around in the warehouse in the winter."
"... But these days, finances are difficult..."
"The current financial difficulties are entirely due to the war. It has nothing to do with money to buy groceries."
His eyes settled calmly.
Then Esben's mouth closed tightly.
"Besides, if you can't afford to buy food, you said you would only use it for maintenance and a dowry."
"That's true, but..."
Esben's voice grew quiet as he was cornered.
That's right.
The Grand Duchess did not make a fuss and demanded unconditional money to buy food.
If he couldn't give her that money, she said she would use whatever money she could manage freely.
"But there has never been a successful case of agriculture in this land for generations. If we use that money to buy more food and feed the impoverished people. It will be more helpful in recovering from the suffering caused by the war!"
"You mean by buying food from Marquis Lochen?"
Armin looked at Esben with a strange smile.
Esben blinked, not knowing what Armin's smile meant.
"The potato price suggested by the Marquis of Lochen is not bad, and there is also a possibility of starting the oat trade next year."
“Esben.”
Amin lowered his head and looked up at Esben through his damp black hair.
Esben's lord, Armin, always seemed to be standing somewhere even when he was smiling brightly, but when he was stern and gave off a gaze like this, he gave off an intimidating vibe that was enough to tighten the throats of those around him.
"How did we come to depend so much on Marquis Lochen?"
Esben flinched at those words.
But he soon answered steadily.
"There is no territory within the Empire that is willing to openly trade with us, my lord."
"That's right. That's right. We've been isolated. Ever since we lost the war."
Aemin's gaze moved beyond Esben to the crackling flames of the fireplace.
A hot and dangerous-looking flame.
"But since when did we start believing in next year? Next year, we're going to make a deal with Marquis Lochen, Esben..."
Amin raised one corner of his mouth and smiled crookedly...
"Isn't that too reckless?"
"Your Highness..."
It was when Esben was confused.
Armin straightened his sharp expression and looked at Esben with a bright smile.
"It's not the husband's job to interfere with everything his wife does. Please let her off easy. Aren't we just newlyweds? Shouldn't I be treated with some love from my wife? Oh, and don't you know that you're still single at that age?"
"My Lord!"
Amin just smiled as he watched Esben's face turn red with embarrassment.
***
The next morning.
I overslept after reading the ledger all night, and my head was spinning as I walked slowly to the dining room for a meal.
How long would it take to lay a drainage ditch on this land and start farming?
I think it would take three months if a skilled blacksmith did the job properly, but how much would that cost?
In the first place, is it easy to find a skilled blacksmith in this land?
I heard that both of the blacksmith shops that remained in the castle were in ruins.
What woke me from those thoughts was the sight I saw as soon as I entered the dining room.
"Hello, Ma'am?"
Armin Wilhelm, smiling brightly with a glass of cognac in his hand from early in the morning.
It was the first time I saw my husband since we crossed the line together.
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